Conventional reflex sights are optical aiming sights for projectile weapons—such as rifles, pistols, and crossbows, for example—that reflect an aiming mark on a reflector for superimposition on a distant target. Typically, the reflector is spherical and partially reflective or reflective of a specific wavelength of light. Some reflex sights use a collimating lens and a flat reflector, rather than a spherical or aspherical reflector. In either approach, the reflected light reaches the user's eye as collimated light, so that the user will see an image of the aiming mark superimposed in the sight's field of view in focus at all distances. The sight is affixed to the weapon and aimed so that the aiming mark coincides with a point of impact of a projectile at a predetermined sighted-in range, when fired or launched from the weapon.
Since the image of the aiming mark produced by the reflex sight is made up of collimated light aligned with the weapon, the aiming feature appears to be parallax free. That is, the user can look through the reflector from any vantage point and the aiming feature will appear stationary on the target at infinity so long as the target is viewed through the reflector.
Conventional reflex sights/rifle scopes sometimes use a collimated subassembly/pivot tube having a light or other illumination source, reflector, and frame with the pivot tube pivotally mounted within a housing/maintube by a pivoting ball seat. The housing provides the collimated subassembly with environmental protection, and the pivoting ball seat enables a range of windage and elevation adjustment of the collimated subassembly. Typically, a second window or lens located behind the collimated subassembly is sealed in place to provide environmental protection. The need for a second lens adds cost, weight, and complexity to a conventional reflex sight/rifle scope.
In addition, the sealed second lens prevents access to the collimated subassembly in the event the collimated subassembly becomes damaged. The inability to easily remove the second lens from the housing can make repair or replacement of the collimated subassembly more complex and expensive.
Thus, although conventional reflex sights are generally suitable for their intended purpose, they can suffer from impaired image quality and are difficult to repair. Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved reflex sight that omits a second sealed lens between the pivot tube and the environment, resulting in improved image quality, ease of repair, and ease of assembly during manufacturing. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the reflex sight system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing improved image quality and ease of repair.